Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture, 4003, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
(Manuscript received 29 May 2017; accepted for publication 29 July 2017)

Abstract. The aim of this study is to examine the size selectivity of the pikeperch fed with one of the most widespread weed fish in fish farms, such as topmouth gudgeon (Pseudorasbora parva Temminck & Schlegel). Topmouth gudgeon (Pseudorasbora parva Temminck & Schlegel), separated in two size groups: large – group 1 (body weight of the specimens 8.63 ± 2.68 g, total length 9.58 ± 0.92 cm, and height of the body 2.06 ± 0.33 cm) and small – group 2 (body weight of the specimens 1.10 ± 0.36 g, average total body length of 5 ± 0.62 cm, and height of 0.85 ± 0.13 cm), were used for prey. The experiment was carried out under controlled laboratory conditions, in the course of 40 days, in 7 tanks. One pikeperch and 10 topmouth gudgeons from both size groups, in total 20 preys were placed in each tank. During the experimental period it was observed that pikeperch preferred to feed on smaller individuals, the difference in the number of consumed small and large fish is approximately 2 times (70 to 34, respectively).

p-ISSN: 1313-8820
e-ISSN: 1314-412X

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Agricultural Science and Technology /AST/ was founded in 2009 by Faculty of Agriculture, Trakia University,
Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.
It’s is published in English in one volume of 4 issues per year, as a printed journal and in electronic form.

All issues in 2017 are printed with the financial support of the Project No DNP 05-21/20.12.2016, financed by Fund ‘Scientific Research’ grant Bulgarian scientific Periodicals.